Ore-separator



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Patented Jan 25,1921'.

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ORE SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I, 1920.

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E. S. HOOVER.

ORE SEPABATOH. APPLICATION FILED MAR. I, 1920.

Patnted "Jan, 25, 1921.

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UNITED yS'TA''ES m'ran'r OFFICE.

Encan. B. HOOVER, or WALLA wanna', Wasmneroir, Assreivoa or ONE-THIRD ToJAMES w. nutrir, or waLLaWnLn/i; whereinGrou.k

ORE-separaron.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented all. 25, 1921,;

Application filed March 1, 1920. Serial 'No. 362,301.

To all Loiomz' may conce/m:

Be it known that I, EDGAR B. HOOVER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Walla Valla, in the county 0f Walla `Walla and State ofVashington, have invented certainjnew` and useful Improvements inOre-Separators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ore separators g and has for its objects toprovide a Ameans for separating the more precious metals from the dross,the metal being contained in concentrates: I Y

A further obj ect is toprovide a means for removing the concentrateslaterally without disturbing the whole, thus with less congestion tothe. operation;

A further object is to provide a means for regulatingthe iineness of theconcentrates:

A further obj ect is to provide a means for storing the concentrates anda cleansing medium together, the `cleansing medium keeping theconcentrates in a yielding state and simultaneously providing a meansfor clean ing the removal mechanism.

lVith these and other nob'ects in view refcrence is now had to theaccompanying drawings in which -v Figure 1 is a plan viewof thedevice-with part of the griddle removed; f

i Fig. 2 isa side and end elevation enlarged of the spraying device;

Fig. 8 is a partial longitudinal section;

Fig. l is a side elevation;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation with the frame and operating mechanismremoved;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation ofthe device; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged side elevation of the adjusting means.

Having reference to the drawings like numerals refer to like partsthroughout and the numeral'1 refers to the frame of .the separatorwhichmay be of1 angle iron as shown or of any suitable material.

y Betweenthe two side pieces of the frame and attached thereto arecurved riliies'f2,the supporting means 3 may or may not be integralwith` the riiiies. l Y

The rimes, frame and griddle constitute the sluice" box with. theexception ofthe bottomwhich issupplied by an` endless apron VTheril-lies., `frame and griddle form the subject matter of my formerPatentA No.

1,317,790,and wil1 notbefurther explained.

This endless apron is made adjustable to the position shown by thedotted lines 6 in Fig. 5 by any suitable regulating means, such forinstance, as that shown in Fig.. 7, and is mounted to travel beneath andin movable contact withV the curved riflies. It operates to withdraw thecontents from the sluice bon laterally Vfromy the bottom there of andconsists of a canvas or other yieldin belt 5 protected from 'wear by thestrips r of leather or other suitable material which bear against therifes.

The apron is carried and V10 respectively,.the roller 8 being movablefor the purpose of adjusting the apron bythe above mentioned means shownin Fig. 7. l i

The contact Vbetween the apron and the riiiles is maintained at alltimes by the contact 'roller` 11, the roller being positioned below theyriflies in a manner to permit the apron to pass therebetween. y

Above the roller 8 (and its complemental part of the apron) Vis mounteda washing i or spraying means consisting of a pipe 12 having an apron 13postioned 'adjacent to the orifices 14: with which the pipe is provided.The water is supplied from any convenient source and after passingthrough these orifices strikes the apron forming a spray which isdirected against the endless apron and its uload of concentrates, theconcentrates thusl loosened from the apron would naturally have atendency to follow down the apron to the trough below'were it not for arubber 15 which maybe in the shape of a scraper as shown or a revolvingbrush may be used, lin either case the `concentrates are deflected tofall upon the chute 16.

The chute 16 is attached to the shaft of the roller 8 by the yoke 17which provides for independent adjustment, at the same time the chute ismovable with the 4roller 8 and the apron by being so attached. The chutemay be coated with .quicksilver to form an amalgam plate and is inclinedwith its lower end entering the trough318 with which it registers. f

TheA troughf18 is positioned about .the lowenapex of the apron Ias isplainly shown in Fig. 5 and has the dual purpose of containing water orother cleansing medium and also the concentrates which are nallydeposited herein.

The water from the lspraying means isY continually renewing the waterin'` the trough "and as the endlessA apronv in lits. travel'passesthrough the water, any concentrates stillV adhering thereto afterpassingthe spraying device and the rubber is re-y moved falling into thetrough', the endless apron now continues thoroughlycleansed for itsfurther operation. The .trough may carry quicksilver if desired to pickup the loose gold, in the event that gold bearing concentrates are beinghandled.

' Any meansV for operating the yseparatorV mayvrbe employed, the meansshown consisting o a driving pulley 19 and chain belts K 20, with theusual sprocket wheels being deemed suilicient however. y

ln voperation the separator is set in motion by power from any lsuitablesource and the ore 'bearing material placed in the sluice' b ox byshovel or other means. The griddle .ll-now operates'in one direction tostir the material and to pass thedross overthe rif-V f fles 2,permitting the concentrates to remain Y` inv theV bottom `against .theendless apron. Now it is obvious that the higher the roller .8 ispositioned Vwith relation Vtothe side ofi Vthe sluice box the lessconcentrates will'follow, and as'the most.l valuable part of theconcentrates are on thebottom, dueto its.

von the chute are finally delivered into the trough from whence they arerecovered. v By amalgainating the chute much of the gold will be caughtthereon,

Therwater in the trough through which.v

the apron travels keeps the concentrates in ayielding vstate and removesall `material from the apron.' A n All parts herein which conflictwithother patents are expressly disclaimed. i

. Having thus described my invention, I` .claim-" f fk f "ilQInv an oreseparator, a sluice box, con Vsisting of a `frame, 'a revolving griddle,and

curved ritlles attached to said Vframein oom- Vbination` (it h anendless apron; operable in movablecontact withsaid curved riffle's, andformin'gthe'bottom` of said sluice box, rollers Carrying said endlessapron, a Vmeans for varyingthe amountof contactbetween said endlessapron" and lsaid riilles, Va contact roller supporting saidendlessa'pron against Saidv curved'v riles, ani'vadjustable washingmeans mounted above said endless apron andadj'ustable therewith, ameans` for. removing the concentrates from said 'endless apron,a :chutepositioned beneath said end-V less apron, a receiving trough, and ameans.`

ing Vmeans mountedV Vabove said endless. Y apron on itsV discharge sideand adjustable therewith, a means `for removing the concentrates fromsaid endless apron, said means` being positioned to' guide saidconcentrates to a chute, an amalgamv chute po-k sitioned to receive 'theconcentrates from kthe discharge side of said endless apron, a receivingtrough positioned beneath said endless apron and said chute, and aVmeansfor said revolvinggriddle.V n

3. In an ore separator, a sluice box, consisting `ofA a frame, arevolving griddle, curved riiies attached to said frainefin combinationwith'an endless apron positioned beneath said curved riHes and inmovable operating said endlessapron and with it Vcontact therewith, and`forming the bottom ofsaid sluice box, adjustable rollers Acarryingsaid'endless apron, an adjustable washing Ameans Vconsisting of aspraying deviceV Ypositioned above saidendless apronv at its dischargeside and adjustabletherewith, a means for removingV the concentratesfrom said endless apron, an inclined amalgam chute positioned to receivethe'concentrates from said endless apron, with its lower end engaging areceiving trough, said receiving trough y positioned beneath saidendless apron Vand aboutthe'lower extremity thereof, and a means foroperating said endless apron and 'said revolving griddle.

4. In an ore'separator, ythe'coinbination off a sluice, box having arevolving. griddle, and an endlessiapron 'operably mounted beneath saidsluice box to form thebottom thereoifa means for varying'ithe positionof said endless' apron with respect to said sluice box, ,a means forremoving the concentrate/s from said endless apron, a trough positionedbeneath and in a 'manner to Yreceigve said apron said trough'beingdesigned to' carry "water l wherewith 7 said apron is cleansed' in itspassagetherethrough, anda means foroperating said ore separator. i

5.111 an ore separatonthe combination of a sluice' box having curvedriiiies and a revolving griddle, and a means for withdrawing thecontents laterally from the bottom of said sluice box consisting of anendless apron, said endless apron forming the bottom of said sluice boX,a means for regulating said apron to obtain a concentrate of epredetermined neness, e chute positioned below said endless apron andmovable there- 5 with, a, trough positioned about the lower apex of saidendless apron and to receive the lower end of said Chute, seid troughhaving the dual purpose of storing a cleansing medium for said endlessapron and also lthe cencentrates, and a, means for operating ture.

EDGAR B. HOOVER.

